Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You
by lovelytunes
Summary: A continuation from where the 1997 animated movie ended...
1. Chapter 1

Carrying Anastasia into her cabin, Dimitri placed her to lay down on the queen size bed. Alone and quiet by themselves, both their cheeks flushed red as the circumstance ignited a gradual rising passion stirred up like wildly burning flames within their hearts.

With her pair of arms wrapped snugly around his neck, Anastasia gazed yearningly into his deep brown eyes. Just a slight tilt of his head to lower his chin and their noses touched each other...Anastasia broke into giggles, bursting Dimitri's chances of further advance. She fingered his fringes playfully, dissipating the mood of the night. He was not about to give fully into defeat but merely grabbed her hand and kissed it lovingly, earning a light hit on the head by Anastasia...

"You don't suppose it's gonna be this soon for the both of us, do you?" She teased him and pulled away her hand from his grasp to wave a tantalizing finger at him.

Dimitri just could not help losing his pride all to her again and sat back up on the bed in defeat. She turned over, resting her chin on her palms and smiled a tempting smile at him again, "Want to call it the night? You must be extremely tired by now..."

He shrugged with an expression of resignation, "Anything you say..." Getting up and prepared to leave for his cabin next door, Anastasia too lifted herself up on her knees and abruptly threw herself forward to catch him by his shoulder from behind his back, startling the totally unsuspecting Dimitri. Wrapping her arms strongly around his neck, she kissed his clean-shaven lower temple and whispered, "Have a good night, love...I'll be waiting for you in my dreams..."

He smiled and kissed her lips before she would let go...


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up to the dawn of the morning still aboard the riverboat, Anastasia pulled the covers over her head to shield her eyes from the sun's rays streaming through the round ship windows. She was extremely reluctant to drag herself out of bed that felt so soft and comfortable to sleep on. She grabbed for more of the covers harder to bury her lazy body under it, turning on her belly to struggle with falling back to sleep again...It was the most difficult thing to do and she could not succeed, not without an unwarned but welcoming aroma of baked sweetness slowly and surely reaching her olfactory nerves despite the thickness of her comforter and pillows she was hiding herself under...

Before the next second could pass, Anastasia has gathered her strength and scent-boosted energy levels to climb out of bed, slipping in the process by her unruly covers and pillows thrown all over the bedside carpet. Scolding herself but moreso the bed items for getting in the way of her impulse, she picked them up one by one in the roughest manner and hurled them back onto the bed, yet they rolled and fell all over the other edge of the floor again...

Not caring in the least to change nor head to the bathroom, which was just less than five steps away from the bedside, Anastasia dashed right across the big room and opened the door to the adjoining kitchenette and personal lounge, only to see...

"Morning, Princess! Breakfast for you is all ready!" He quipped with a refreshing captivating smile at her from the counter.

Anastasia gasped and hurried over to his side, "Oh my! Dim! It's only 7 in the morning! Why are you waking me up at a time like this?!"

He slid the pan of tastefully-cooked pancakes onto the plate and then took some top-graded maple syrup to dabble over them. "I can't help not waking up when I'm listening to some girl talking and singing in her sleep nearly all night...just right across the wall from my bed...?"

Anastasia's cheeks blushed powder pink in surprise but she was quick to defend herself. "Hey, that could not be me! Don't try to fool people into believing without a single trace of evidence!"

He lifted his gaze and met hers with a naughty smile, humming and repeating, "Oh, but I can't help...falling in love with you...Take my hand...Take my whole heart too...Does that sound familiar to you, girl...?"

Anastasia was caught off guard, averted her gaze from him and tried to make the connection...It rang in her ears, so was she...? Her face turned deep rosey red in colour...and with her surrendered heart racing, she awkwardly turned away from him...Dimitri caught her waist in time before she could leave him, hugging her close just an inch from his chest...

"Have I been in your dreams, sweet love?" He whispered soft looking deep into her eyes.

Anastasia could not find the courage to gaze too long into his, looked down and squeezed hard his shirt, smiling shyly...A brief minute of intense silence betraying their heavy breathing, she simply gave in to him and then spoke up, "Thank you so much, Dimitri...You saved my life once...and now, you have given me a new life...a new hope...Words just can't say enough. I may be a Princess but you've done so much more than any Prince would for me..." Pressing her head strongly onto his chest, she reciprocated his hug and enjoyed thoroughly his warm and hot embrace.

He kissed and stroked her tender hair, "It's destiny, don't you think...? My life was meant to protect you...The very first moment my eyes fell on you when we met again inside the palace, I knew you would be my one and only..."

Anastasia slowly pulled apart, tiptoeing to cup his chin and kissed him passionately. Their lips locked and swept over each other's in ceaseless insuppressible desire...The bottle of maple syrup dropped with ignorance onto the floor... 


	3. Chapter 3

"Look, Dim! There's a full circle of a rainbow behind the clouds up there!" Anastasia pointed out for him when she sharply spotted the lovely stretch of colours from where they stood on the upper deck of the ship (also where they had danced together the previous evening). It was amazingly touching for him to behold such wonder of a sight with her. Encircling his arms around her waist from behind, he treasured such a priceless moment of romance together, just seeing her smile naturally made him smiled more...After so many trials and incidences which nearly separated them, perhaps it has always been in God's plan from the beginning for them to return to each other's embrace again. All these years, he was blessed to have befriended Vladimir, who stuck with him through thick and thin...But as for Anya, she had no one else and he would never blame her for misunderstanding his motives the last time...The moment she remembered him as a servant boy from her past when she had told Sophie, something leapt within his heart, as if she was reaching out to his memories which were long cast aside and reviving the suppressed emotions. Even though she would tear his heart apart, he would still be loving her forever...

"It's beautiful, but it's still no match for you," he said close to her ear, bringing a gentle smile to her face. Her hand reached up to touch his face with her palm and he pressed his temple snugly against hers, breathing in her honey sweet scent.

She giggled with pleasure at his exaggeration, still gazing with awe at the majestic heavenly display, "Are you missing St. Petersburg?"

The tenderness in her voice as she uttered the question just proved how much their souls connect and how well she could see through his heart. He just wanted to hug her even more closer to himself, "You have my answer...Here's still France...but we've had more than memories back in our homeland..."

Anya turned about to face him looking earnestly into those mesmerising eyes. She held his hands and brought them near her chest, "Can you tell me more about your days at the palace? I'm sorry, I was so ignorant of you when we were still kids there...And...I still have some obstacles remembering the whole past of my childhood...Sorry, Dimitri..."

He closed their distance and kissed her fingers, sweeping strands of her auburn hair over her ears and shook his head smiling, "I don't mind anything, so long as you're still willing to let me hold your hands with mine...even now...You have so much potential, Anya...endless possibilities with Empress Marie...The second you said it, I almost can't believe you would be willing to put everything behind and elope with me...but we are already here...I can't wish for more, as a nobody that I am...Thank yo-..." Anya lunged forward to kiss him strongly on the lips, preventing him from finishing his sentence and she wrapped her arms yearningly around the back of his neck.

When they pulled apart, she smiled a smile that was simply irresistibly dazzling to him and said, "Can we make up for those lost moments by heading back to St. Petersburg again? I can't wait to live my whole new life with only you by my side this time..."

She has literally resurrected his unconscious intention like a sweet angel. They laughed and he lifted her up, surprising the girl to spin themselves around in an overjoy of delight under the bright wintry sun.


	4. Chapter 4

After disembarking from the riverboat in the southern French city of Toulouse, Anya and Dimitri decided to lodge for a few days in a local inn, the one with the cheapest rates in fact. It was also because the place was the most affordable in town that they have only one last room available for them to stay...

"I gather that you're a pair of young couple, so you could certainly push the two single beds together to meet to ensure more seamless 'convenience' and comfort!" The inn attendant implied with a comical smile under his pair of curled moustaches, causing faint blushes to appear on the two's faces.

Anya quickly dismissed, "It's okay, single beds are just what we need..."

Sensing her reservation, Dimitri also affirmed with a nod, "Erm...Yes, sir...Those beds are not an issue...We'll take this room."

The middle-aged man adjusted his thick glasses and simply shrugged his shoulders, recording their request and payment before grabbing some keys to lead them to their room. Just when Anya was about to lift her suitcase from the floor, Dimitri intentionally took hers before she saw him unaware and she ended up grabbing his one instead.

They were led to the room on the topmost floor. The very moment the attendant opened up the door, Anya was thrilled and immediately ran towards the windows where the curtains have already been drawn to reveal a marvellous view which overlooked a touching golden glistening sunset of the Garonne river. Dimitri was endeared by her childlike innocence, just like the very first moment he found her again alone by herself in the palace...

"Have a good night together!" The attendant handed the keys to Dimitri, who replied with thanks, and left them closing the door quietly. Turning his attention back to Anya, she was still intensely captivated by the scenic view, gluing her palms to the glass of the window and ha her eyes fully affixed on taking in the breathtaking sight before them.

Dimitri went up to his girl, watching her and sharing her joy. "I've never seen anything so beautiful like this before," she said with brimming admiration.

He nodded, pulling her close, "It's like heaven's loving touch..."

His simple words brought a smile to her face and she turned to face him again ever since entering the room. "Thank you for choosing this place for us," she expressed gratefully, cupping his hands to her face.

Like heaven's touch, her happiness always did wonder and pleasures to his heart and emotions. Still wearing her delicate angelic smile, Anya then pulled him along over to start arranging their belongings from the suitcases together.

Just when she thought she had her own suitcase opened without suspecting the least it was Dimitri's, Anya was even more surprised to find a stunning rose pink flower lace dress she had never before seen nicely folded right on the top of the rest of his clothes underneath.

Gasping as she cautiously held it up, realisation dawned on her as she turned to Dimitri, whose smile now did not require words to explain that it was something meant for her straight from him.

"I...was not expecting this...We could hardly afford a better inn..." Anya was finding hard to put her gratitude into words.

He took her hands and said softly, "I just want to say sorry...this might be the only Christmas gift I could ever give you this December..."

Tears flowed from her eyes and Dimitri gently wiped her cheeks dry. She hugged him tight, "Thank you...Thank you so much, for everything..."


	5. Chapter 5

Waking up to the dawn of the morning, the first thing Dimitri opened his eyes, what greeted him was Anya's peaceful sleeping face on which his dreamy gaze fell. Though it was not the first time they have slept together in the same room, he could not help the dancing flutter of his heart as he continued to watch her in an adoring manner. The wooden floor and bedside table separated their beds, as she had wished, but he could not seem to feel any distance between them...She was just as close as lying on his bosom under his protective embrace in his eyes, and he could breathe along with her slowed calm breathing. There was something just so different and special this time, knowing that they were truly in love with each other and together at last.

Pulling to the side his covers, Dimitri turned and grabbed hold of a plain handy notebook from his bag beside the drawer. He then propped his thick pillow against the cushion headboard to lean his back on while sitting up on his bed facing Anya, who was still asleep like a child angel right across from him. He managed some quiet mental planning, scratching his head briefly before picking up a free pencil provided by the inn and very soon began to sketch a meticulous portrait of his beloved Princess.

As if God was supplying him a perfect opportunity, his sleeping beauty was laying pretty still all the while he was putting his best effort to produce a grayscale like-real photographic image of lovely Anya. The way she looked now with her silky smooth hair fully let down was the most stunning and gorgeous he had ever seen...Her lush eyelashes mesmerised him like wedding doves each time she gazed into his eyes...He needed only spent less than a half-hour and he was all set to design her royal crown of pearls and diamond crystals...Then, there was her beautiful sweetheart gown with ruffled sleeves which sparkled like starry gems...

Anya began to stir and toss a little on her bed, at the right moment when the engaging Dimitri was nearly done with his precious masterpiece, his very first attempt of an unknown and never before developed artistic skill of his own...The sun's rays grew brighter and cast upon them like glorious golden shimmers reaching through the thin cotton curtains. Anya sighed shielding her eyes and did a slight kick at her covers which pushed them off onto the floor in a heap. Dimitri smiled with pleasure and placed his finished work back into his bag pocket to get up and retrieve Anya's comforter from the floor. He quickly tucked her under the covers once again and sat down right next to her on the bed. Her fringes was naturally unruly and strewn all over her face by now and so looking fondly down at her, he very lightly swept them to the sides...He loved to watch her even whenever she was most unaware, and the slowly passing quietness of the moments when they were by each other was as priceless as a heavenly touch...

Anya gradually opened her eyes...Just as she was the first one for him to behold when he awakened today, he was her dashing Prince Charming who sat on her bed awaiting her like a dream came true into reality, the first one welcoming her into the consciousness of a beautiful world with a loving smile...


	6. Chapter 6

Seeing Anya coming out of the bathroom dressed in the pretty rose petal lace dress he has bought for her, Dimitri was utterly captivated by her beauty again...

"Do you think it looks tight on me?" Anya fixed her flounce skirt a little, turning around in hope of getting his thoughts on her appearance, wondering if she met his 'expectations'. Perhaps she was too self-conscious to be fully aware, but Dimitri gazing speechless just like when he first found her in the palace and the mesmerising moment she was dressed in a stunning strapless gown when they attempted to meet with Empress Marie in Paris, all proved how he could be hopelessly enchanted by her.

He was only able to snap out of his reverie when Anya stepped upclose to wave a hand before his face. "Dimitri? Dim...?" She repeated and he glanced down embarrassed by his absorbed and dazed response, to which Anastasia seemed to catch the telltale hint and smiled giggling.

He sighed and shooked his head in resignation, cheeks colouring pink a little. She almost felt like teasing him, but then decided to bring her warm palms to cup his face, grinning fondly and looking intently into his gray-brown eyes.

Dimitri almost wanted to avert his gaze from her attentive interest, the manly form of shyness showing through, but he could not resist her expression of initiative, reaching and sliding his hands up to her fingers...

"You look the most beautiful in this world," he whispered trespassing their tiny distance to kiss strongly her lips, pulling her tight into firm embrace.

Locking their mouths feverishly in passion, Dimitri continuously enjoyed the scent and touch of her tender skin as he swept his unrestrained desire over her. Anya was consumed by his persistent advances and deliberately allowed herself to be drawn deeper and deeper into the unquenchable heat of his burning love for her...


	7. Chapter 7

Walking hand in hand through the crowds in one of the busiest Christmas market in Toulouse, Dimitri and Anya were sweetly enjoying together the festivities of the season. Tugging onto her coat when they were under the freezing winter weather, Dimitri was sharply sensitive towards her slight chills, with them both being attached close to each other due to the extremely packed plaza pushing and shoving at everyone else on all sides. The cotton and chiffon dress which just reached a little below her knees that he gave her to be wearing at the moment seemed to be too thin for the cold and so Dimitri hurriedly took off his woolen coat for her to put on, surprising Anya.

"What are you doing, Dim?" She was not expecting such a selfless gesture as the plain shirt he was having on was no more warmer than hers.

He could not bear to have her face the biting cold like this, therefore he stubbornly insisted on quickly tucking her in and leaving Anya unsuccessful with her persistent protests to refuse his coat. When all attempts of concern for him failed, Anya simply pulled him away from the open outdoors to head over to a sheltered bakery shop in hope of sharing its heat slowly seeping out from the inside. Holding up and cradling his pair of gradually numbing hands within hers, Anya blew her warm breaths over his palms so that he could feel better. His heart was extremely touched by her, like a beloved angel she was, until he could not resist but pulled her tight upclose to plant a yearning kiss on her forehead...

Sharing the warmth of each other's brimming love and embrace, Dimitri happened to catch sight of a group of painters in a distance beyond the Christmas market, where they were drawing portraits of others seated quiet and still in front of each of them. The sight of them brought to mind Dimitri's very first own masterpiece he has drawn of Anastasia back in their room while she was sleeping cozily that morning. They pulled apart, and taking Anya's hands, he said that he has something special for her to see...She smiled as lovely as she always was for him and turned a bit curious...

Flinging his bagstrap off his shoulders, Dimitri was about to unbutton one of its pockets to take out his pencil portrait for her when, alas, a big tear which produced a hole at its bottom was discovered in utter disappointment. Both Anastasia and him gasped in astonishment.


	8. Chapter 8

"Come on, Dim...It's really not that bad a hole I see," Anya tried to console the despondent Dimitri, as they sat on the grassy hill slopes having retreated far away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded Toulouse town centre. Anya figured that with Dimitri's downcast mood, they would need some peace and quiet for themselves.

He sighed in disappointment, still hardly saying a word and not telling Anya openly about his very own pencil-drawn portrait of her, and merely lay down on the soft carpet comfort of the green grass underneath them.

Anya studied the unsightly tear along the underside of his canvas bag pocket and decided that it would not be a difficult job to fix it. The colour of the bag material would require some matching patch cloth, which she would want to cut off from a portion of the skirt of her princess evening gown. The last time she did hand-sewing was back in the rural orphanage in Russia and just the thought of doing that again the first time for Dimitri brought a tender smile to her face.

Having lost something so special which he was determined to let Anya be the first person to see his own humble artwork, Dimitri felt like falling hopelessly into a restful nap beside her, shutting his eyes to enjoy the minty dew scent of nature. Yet, the next moment, Anya took out a little notebook with a leather cover and plucked a tiny dandelion from the grass, which has miraculously survived through this freezing winter weather, to tickle his nose, arousing him again.

Anya giggled as she removed his coat he had put on her earlier to drape it over his torso, which did the impossible of lifting up his fallen mood and alertness once again. He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to rest on his firm chest. To their amazement, snow began falling gently like feathery stars all around them and Dimitri quickly tucked her together with him under his big coat to share the intimate warmth of each other...

Anya wrapped her arms around his waist and showed him her book. "You see this? I've titled it 'Precious Moments: The Heart of Anya and Dimitri'," she told him as they both held up her book together.

He smiled interlocking his fingers snugly with hers, "Why not your name 'Anastasia'?"

She chuckled and opened up to turn to the first page, "I was Anya when we found each other, so Anya I am and will always be..." Then, she could finally show him what she has been doing all the while he was unaware ever since she has recovered her memories. She doodled on a number of pages of rough drawings of the little boy who had saved her life once upon a December and now she came to love with all her heart...

"Is this really...?" It was time for Dimitri to be surprised.

Anastasia sat up a little to face him, "Oh, I'm sorry...Not a good artist at all that I am...I thought these simple portraits might look like you when you were a child whom I first saw...Or perhaps, the situation was too tensed inside the palace then...my mind is still fuzzy...I told you so..."

Dimitri smiled and shook his head, then pulled her tight into his embrace again kissing her honey-sweet hair...


	9. Chapter 9

"I think we should really stop this, Dim...We don't even know who is the owner of this boat...And...And it's still snowing," Anastasia urged as she glanced all around the lake which would soon terminate in a stream and yet, Dimitri unheedingly continued to paddle the rowboat they were now sitting in. Without a definite direction in mind a while back, they ended up coming to a deck by this vast lake after leaving the hilly slopes and such bright idea came to Dimitri when they found a vacant but expensive-looking boat painted in sleek ivory, with a pair of nice oars left by the bank and seemingly destined for their use.

He smiled with playful pleasure at her innocent concern and simply returned, "We'll be fine, love...It's even more tempting to get a boatride in the middle of a snowing lake on this Christmas Eve, don't you think? Anyway, by heading downstream northwest-ward, we could even reach your favourite Garonne river..."

Anastasia sighed and shook her head without help, opening her palm to catch the tender snowflakes...Giving up all intention to persuade him as she would never be successful at this point now that they were already in the boat, she pushed her legs up a little to hug them close towards her chest, bearing with the increasing cold. Observing her resignation from right across, it was Dimitri's expression to turn concerned this time, "I'm sorry, Anya...I'll give you my vest here..." He set down the handle of both oars...

"Oh no! You've already given me your coat and I'm warm enough, truly!" She quickly waved her hands and pressed him to sit back down, but her words fell on deaf ears. The next second, Dimitri started sneezing not once, but twice. Thinking that he would need the warmth of his coat as well, Anya became the one to get up and moved over to sit with him on the other same side, wrapping the whole of his coat all over him while she snuggled up close against his chest so they could share the intimate heat together.

"Thanks," he whispered with subtle boyish shyness and affection over her and Anya smiled contentedly along with a brief gaze up at him.

"Let's continue..." She picked up the oars again and placed them back in his chilly hands, helping him to row the boat together, easily warming his heart.

As the boat glided gracefully across the shimmering lake at this mid-afternoon hour, and they enjoyed the serenity of the environment alone by themselves, it felt as though the world was made for them to be together. Secured in each other's embrace, no word or utterance was necessary for them to understand both's deepest need for each other. Being held in each other's arms and such precious tender touch to assure they would always remain together despite of the circumstances, this was something different and irreplaceable...

"Dimitri?" Anya softly spoke up again.

"Yes?"

"When we're back at St. Petersburg, where'd be the first place you wanna go?"

He pondered quietly for a moment, before lightly shaking his head, which was resonated by her high ponytail as she glanced up at him. "I would say the Catherine Palace, your most precious home, Anastasia..."

She considered his answer thoughtfully and she knew something within her felt not right...She fingered the edge of his shirt's sleeves, then said determinedly, "No, Dim...I want to be at your home, the place where you grew up ever since you left Catherine Palace...I want to know more about yours..."

Her reply was totally unexpected for him, as much as they knew each other tacitly. He slowed down their paddling and took her hands in his...


	10. Chapter 10

It was the dawn of a new morning on the golden yellow riverside. Anya and Dimitri had spent all night on the waters, for though it was biting cold, them huddling tight against each other and lying warm within the other's embrace on the rowboat were enough to take them miraculously through Christmas Eve...

Opening her eyes, Anya held close rubbing his both hands over her heart, then kissed Dimitri awake, which he naturally did. "Merry Christmas," she whispered against his cheek, bringing a dreamy smile to his face. He right away brought her chilly fingers to kiss them warm, then pressed his lips feverishly onto hers, sweeping all over them and pulled up her waist strongly against his body in consuming passion for her.

When the desirous heat they shared with each other escalated to the point of settling down once more, they pulled apart for air as their fingers snugly interlocked. Dimitri caressed her velvety and rose-reddened lips, whispering, "You know, you are God's first Christmas gift for me ever since I left the Catherine Palace all these years..." He continued to kiss her cheeks and soft brows.

She closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying every bit of touch of his lips on her, yet, tears arose and glistened under the sunrise, "It must be hurting so much to live without your parents and a single loved one to take care of you as a child..."

He shook his head, revelling in her breaths and scent, "Makes me stronger till I can protect you today..."

She hugged his waist close, "Do you miss the shelter house, the farm, and the countryside? I can't wait to see them with you, if only they could be now..."

Brushing the tip of his nose against her tender hair, he promised, "They are still as lovely as I can imagine them to be now, and I'll show you...The lovely orphan children there, just like how I once used to be, would be delighted to see the most beautiful angel I am bringing with me to them this time."

She giggled happily on his chest, "Thank you..."


	11. Chapter 11

Having left the boat by the river bank, Dimitri and Anastasia came up with the idea of signing their names and leaving messages and prayers on its bow and stern before walking away hand in hand towards a small town still within the vicinity of Toulouse. Already late afternoon, they bought and shared the famous Toulouse sausages together enjoying as they sat on a street bench as their first Christmas meal. They were cheap but their delight in each other made such a close moment irresistibly sweet for the both of them savouring every second.

Interestingly, Anya happened to spot a little stray puppy coming upclose towards them, which she thought resembled partly that of Pooka. Such a reminder caused her to miss her little dear companion again. When she whispered to Dimitri, he agreed and broke bits of the meat and bread to spread them before the sweetie to feed his hungry stomach.

"Here, you have more!" Anya giggled and gave him her own share of the food putting into his mouth.

Nibbling contentedly, the puppy was having his wonderful time when a while later, a typical moustached middle-aged Frenchman ran towards their spot and swiftly swooped him into his arms hugging the innocent guy with tearful eyes.

Dimitri and Anastasia were startled by his sudden approach and stood up immediately dropping their precious breakfast onto the ground in the process. It took at least ten minutes before the man was aware of them and hastily composed himself. Still somewhat emotional, he patted Dimitri warmly on the shoulder and began pointing to the puppy within his tight embrace uttering some French which Anya could hardly understand.

After a brief expressive conversational exchange between the two, which Dimitri seemed to handle extremely well, they parted ways.

Anya blankly pressed Dimitri once the man was out of sight with the puppy, "What did he say to you and taking that poor old thing away for?"

Dimitri took her hand once more and smiled confidently to assure her, "He just found his beloved pet after a month of losing him...I tried to refuse his reward for us but he insisted we should take these..." He showed her a pair of train tickets which the man had shoved into his palms a minute ago along with a considerable amount of money in francs.


	12. Chapter 12

"So that's settled? We'll save these 500 French francs for our journey back to Saint Petersburg's use," Anya concluded their discussion after they had returned to the inn. Dimitri smiled and nodded in submission to their ultimate plan.

He was about to take her hand and suggested to have a more decent Christmas brunch together when she hastily got up from the couch and he missed his chance. Anya then walked over to his bed and picked up his bag which still has a hole under one of its pouches that required some mending. Turning to Dimitri with a witty smile, she then proceeded to grab the sewing kit from the table drawer and sat down on the bed to begin her repairing work for his belonging.

Mesmerised by her thoughtfulness again, Dimitri figured he would wait for her and continue to watch his loving lady attractively engaged in the task. With a distance of less than half a metre between each other as he sat by the window, he very silently got a sheet of drawing paper again without her awareness, being careful to not distract her and unnecessarily gathered her attention. Dimitri started his second pencil portrait of Anastasia again, promising and urging himself within that this time, he would give his very best to offer her a happy surprise when she got to see it and not recklessly losing his original artwork again.


	13. Chapter 13

As Anya handed back his nicely mended bag, Dimitri gave her the portrait he has been working on for the past hour. A touching exchange between the two of what each has been devoted in making for the other and the moment just intensified their heartfelt surprises and emotions.

Anya gasped as she beheld the wonder of Dimitri's well-kept artistic talent revealed only now and she felt the piece of lifelike pencil drawing with her fingers in awe...And for Dimitri, discovering that Anya had torn off the expensive fabric of one of her gowns to sew and patch up the unsightly hole of his bag pocket until it turned into a matching perfectly blended whole, he could not find enough words to express the depth and how priceless her thoughtfulness was for him.

"Thank you...Thank you so much...This is very precious for me, Dim," Anya uttered close to tears and held up the portrait before them as they sat close together on the bed. Dimitri pulled her upclose to rest on himself and planted a loving kiss on her temple.

"Thanks for your love, Anya...Everything's so beautiful from you...They reach deep into my heart and I so want you to know that," he whispered kissing more of her warming cheeks.

Anastasia brought her palm to caress his face, turning from the side to lock gaze with his earnest blues, only to offer him the timely opportunity to press his lips fervently onto hers, consumed in passion that they could hardly let go of the steaming heat each lavished on the other and shared all over throughout their skin.


	14. Chapter 14

"Can't believe we're finally embarking on a journey back to St. Petersburg! Back to our very own beginning!" Anya expressed with brimming enthusiasm as she and Dimitri waited for their train to arrive on the station platform.

They both squeezed each other's hands and smiled tacitly in hopeful anticipation. Dimitri then stepped closer to adjust a little the peach floral beret hat Anya was now wearing and which he had bought for her the night before on Christmas. Anya was defiant in not allowing him to buy at all when they first saw it displayed in a shop window even though he knew through her wistful gaze that she was literally in love with it at first sight. Thus, it was not until late at night when she had fallen asleep and he had to sneak out of the inn where they stayed to head over to the shop again. He had pleaded with the owner to have it reserved for his later purchase by leaving his only leather watch with her earlier without Anya's knowledge. And so he did return to the inn with his second Christmas gift for her in hand, after the first pink dress he had given her earlier. When he kissed her awake in the morning and she has her head resting comfortably on his lap, Anya kind of already sensed the surprise in his deep ocean blue eyes...

"You look so beautiful today," he whispered upon being irresistibly drawn to the tenderness in her eyes and smile over and over again now at the station. She lowered her gaze as those velvet soft cheeks of hers began colouring sweet pink in front of one's fervent lover.

A fleeting moment of admiration and endearment before they were disappointingly interrupted by the station announcer informing of their train arrival. Composing themselves, Anya and Dimitri picked up their suitcases once again preparing to board the train.

"There he is! Let's head over!" Almost everyone, including Anya and Dimitri overheard a loud shout and whistle being blown from a far corner, which were immediately followed by racing footsteps of a large group of royal guards coming straight up at them.

Overly stunned when the two turned and looked back, they witnessed in a flash about over fifty guards and soldiers began marching intimidatingly towards them and began to surround the astonished couple on all sides. Crowds of people at the station simply watched on curiously and wondering what on earth was going on as the train too reached the station. Yet, it did not seem that Dimitri and Anastasia will have a fortunate chance to board it any time soon...


	15. Chapter 15

"Wait, I don't get it! You were saying that I was a long-lost son of...whosoever...So you know that I am an orphan from Russia without any parent and have been searching for me a long long time? This is outrageous!" Dimitri was overwhelmed and extremely troubled after he was led together with Anastasia away from the train station by a large group of guards who insisted that they complied with their command. Now, they have taken Dimitri and Anastasia in a royal horse-drawn carriage to the château de Versailles all the way from Toulouse. At this point in time, a representative from the British royal family who had just arrived in the country the day before was speaking of what seemed like a bizzare reunion tale to Dimitri while Anastasia awaited in another one of the grandest drawing room for him. Having gotten all worried while on the journey to this palace that the two did not even dare to speak a word while seated with one of the guards, Dimitri was not sure if he was in any way relieved by such a revelation.

The royal officer reiterated in a calm manner to him from across the table, "Your royal highness, you 'are' a long lost son of his highness Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and her highness the late Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn...It is most unfortunate that her late majesty, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland could not make it to this day in receiving you as her dearly-missed grandson whom she never knew had managed to survive the ill-fated labour of your mother. A rebellious midwife servant had cunningly informed that your birth was fatal, crushing the hopes of your parents that they had to keep this secret from the public for so many years. We now know that this despicable royal servant then had stolen you after you were born healthy and sold you off to treacherous subjects in Prussia and Russia...And that's how your royal highness ended up as a poor pitiful orphan in a completely foreign land...Our deepest regrets and sorrow over the harsh life you have been forced to lead all these years..."

Dimitri found it hard to catch his breath upon listening to all the English nobleman had said. Taking off his hat and sighing exasperately, he leaned back against the pure ivory liquid leather chair, though most comfortable for a pampered prince, yet he felt he needed much more support than the superficial. In a moment, the door at the end of the spacious hall opened and Anastasia was led to enter.

Her footsteps relieved Dimitri immediately as he sat bolted upright again, turning expectantly to face his only source of comfort. He got up right away to pace hastily towards Anastasia. As they held each other's hands yearningly, Anastasia brought her fingers to wipe away the tears Dimitri began to shed uncontrollably. Hugging him tight, she hoped to provide him strength and consolation at this instant as much as she could while they bravely faced the long-buried truth now laid wide open for them to generously accept together.


	16. Chapter 16

When the night was gone and the light of dawn has showered all over the palace grounds, Dimitri endured a soulful sleepless night spent dwelling his thoughts on many things. Recollecting the days of his childhood with Anastasia laying in his arms, there were tears which came every now and then...She listened with her whole heart and added her own memories of adventures in another rural orphanage...How would things have been different should they have been brought up at the same orphanage? Yet, wandering through life all these years made their second encounter back at Catherine Palace all the more special and sentimental...It was meant to be...and once more, they were standing together at the beginning...with each other close and tight...

Leaning forward at the rail of the balcony overlooking the magnificent view of the gardens below and facing the breathtaking sunrise, Dimitri was still attempting his best to make sense of the whole surprise and truth behind his birth and destiny discovered only the evening before. He now had on his royal British princely attire, but still feeling so foreign to himself.

He heard Anastasia approaching from the inside of the room suite towards him, bringing tremendous relief to his mindfulness and lightening the invisible load weighing heavy on his shoulders. He caught her soothing voice whispering his name and taking his hands into the warmth of her tender skin...

He was deeply touched when he beheld her dressed as an enticing angelic princess in off-the-shoulder diamond-studded silvery pink gown. Her silky auburn hair fully let down, he could not resist but kissed her dearly on the lips, enamoured by her sweet beauty...

"You're not alone...I'll always be where you need me to...Promised," she smiled and said softly holding his hands.

He found his heart very much lifted up on the wings of her love and knew well now that he has the needed courage to face the British monarch who was awaiting his arrival. Her words were his strength and he kissed her fingers answering, "Princess Anastasia, may I have the pleasure of your company to return with me to London?"

She smiled again and giggled, "You may and I am delighted to be with you, Dimitr-...Oopps...I am sorry, Prince Andrew of Great Britain and Ireland!"

He chuckled and effortlessly swept her off her feet in their moment of uncontainable surge of bliss...

-THE END-

Thanks for reading!


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